UPDATED: Birmingham AIDS expert on new presidential panel

Kathie Hiers of Birmingham has been named to President Obama's national advisory council on AIDS on the recommendation of U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama. (Birmingham News file)WASHINGTON - Birmingham's Kathie Hiers said today she plans
to use her seat on President Obama's new HIV/AIDS advisory panel to argue for
more AIDS-related funding for the South.

"We've got the most minorities, the most people
without health insurance, and the most poverty and now is the time to build the
infrastructure in the South to take care of the disease," Hiers said in an
interview after the inaugural meeting of the council. The region has a
growing number of cases, especially among teens and minorities.

Hiers
is chief executive officer of AIDS Alabama and one of 24 members appointed to
the panel that will advise Obama on domestic and global AIDS issues. AIDS
Alabama is a nonprofit that provides housing and other support to low-income
people with HIV/AIDS.

"I look forward to hearing from the council
about our continued efforts to prevent the spread of HIV infections in the
United States and to provide care and treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS
around the world," Obama said in a prepared statement.

Hiers
was recommended for the appointment by Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.

Hiers
and Sessions worked together to win more federal funding for AIDS treatment in
southern states, but Hiers said the federal budget still shortchanges the
region on education, mental health and housing funds for people living with HIV
or AIDS.